The Path to Indulgence
by Peony-princesa
Summary: Part 2 to His Voice in the Shadows. Lucio is alive again and continues to pursue Ophelia. She finds that she isn't as averse to the idea as she originally thought, and surprises herself with what she's capable of when pushed enough. There's some squicky stuff in here so read at your own risk.
1. Chapter 1

Ducking into a side hallway, Ophelia pressed herself against the wall, looking for anything to steady her shaken nerves. " _Did I hear that right?"_ she thought to herself " _Lucio is alive? But how could that be possible? He's obviously not running around in the shape of a giant goat, or that would be bigger news than his resurrection."_ Ophelia wasn't the kind to panic, but she felt the icy hand of fear gripping her heart "I did this. This is my fault." the words rang in her brain, drowning out everything else. It was all she could do to suppress those thoughts and shove them deep down inside of her so she could regain her composure. She knew that it wouldn't do for her to disappear amidst such chaos, so she squared her shoulders and did the best she could to hold her head high, as if nothing was wrong or out of the ordinary, and stepped back into the main hall, doing her best to convince herself that whatever happened that night, she would be fine.

Making her way to the ballroom, Ophelia pushed her way through the crowd of servants and inside the entrance; her small stature allowing her to press past people without drawing attention to herself. Once inside, she saw Lucio - back in his human form - and Nadia facing each other on the far side of the giant room, neither of them appearing to be enjoying themselves. Ophelia did her best to stay close to the wall, preferring to get a read on the situation before making her presence known.

As she watched the two, she could see from their body language that their conversation was bordering on hostile; Nadia was standing there with her arms folded over her chest and a look of disdainful suspicion on her face; Lucio appeared to be making a small attempt at civility, though haughtiness radiated off his entire being as he leaned on an ornate cane with one hand, the other resting lightly on his hip. Ophelia couldn't help but notice that he looked exactly like the painting that hung in his chambers; he was beautiful with his imposing posture and wonderfully detailed coat and boots, and the very picture of health, aside from the red of his eyes - which had not disappeared, despite his seeming good health - which stood out starkly against his pale skin and blond hair.

Realizing that they were speaking in lowered tones, Ophelia turned her full attention to reading their lips, determined to learn as much as she could before revealing herself to them.

Nadia seemed to be expressing skeptical disbelief as Lucio spoke; he seemed to be asserting his right to his former status "You would deny me - the rightfully chosen Count of Vesuvia - my title and all the power and responsibility that goes along with it, because you believe me an imposter? You really think that I am some vulgar doppelganger?"

Nadia's jaw clenched and unclenched several times before she responded "If you are indeed Lucio as you claim to be, I will restore everything to you as it was before you passed. However, it would be quite easy to hire a magician to render you an exact copy of my late husband."

"And what do you suggest we do about that?" he asked, leaning in slightly to, Ophelia thought, give a slight air of intimidation.

Holding up a hand in front of her as if warding him off, Nadia spoke again "As soon as my magician arrives, we will know for sure. Until then, please try to refrain from making a scene; I don't want there to be any more of a scandal until we know for sure who you are. I've sent Portia to find her, so until then, we will wait."

Ophelia groaned " _It looks like I won't get to skip out on this situation"_ she thought to herself. Just as she was about to come forward, Lucio spoke again:

"Where is this magician I've heard so much about?" his manner was casual, but Ophelia could see that he was scanning the room carefully. She shrank back behind a guard, not wanting to be spotted before she was ready to show herself, thanking her stars that no one around her was privy to the conversation.

Nadia looked at him distastefully "Don't worry about _my_ magician, she is none of your concern. But she will tell me whether you are lying or telling the truth, and we will continue from there."

Lucio shrugged "Have it your way, Noddy."

She glared at him "Don't call me that. Even if you are my husband returned from the dead, I hardly think we're on the kind of terms for pet names any longer."

Seeing that they were only going to continue to antagonize each other, Ophelia emerged from her hiding place, walking to the center of the room and calling their attention to her.

"You summoned me, Nadia?" She said "Portia told me that it was important."

Both Lucio and Nadia turned to her eagerly, though Lucio kept his reaction as minimal as possible. Nadia spoke first:

"Ah, Ophelia, there you are. First, allow me to apologize to you for the way I allowed Pontifex Vulgora to speak to you earlier. I let my frustration get the best of me, and I took that out on you. I'm truly sorry."

Ophelia nodded in acknowledgment while the Countess spoke, noticing out of the corner of her eye, the delighted look on Lucio's face as he listened to Nadia's apology. When she was done, Ophelia smiled simply and accepted. Normally she would beg Nadia to forget the slight and reassure her that no harm was done, but the extenuating circumstances had put her on high alert, preventing her from feeling at ease in even the smallest amount.

Nadia seemed to sense this, and continued without delay, "Let us get right to the heart of why I called you here. This man," she gestured to Lucio, who was still striking a debonaire figure and watching Ophelia like a hawk, making her feel that Nadia's presence was the sole obstacle holding him back from pouncing on her "this man," Ophelia forced herself to pay attention to the Countess' words "is here claiming to be my departed husband, the Count Lucio, as I'm sure you recognize from his portraits."

Ophelia finally allowed herself to make eye contact with the count, and the very instant she did so, she felt an overwhelming heat rush through her body.

" _I'm glad to see you looking so refreshed."_ his voice echoed in her head, making her drop her gaze immediately, " _When I last I saw you, you were in quite a state of...disarray."_ trying to keep her composure, Ophelia ignored him, keeping her eyes cast down; she could almost feel his laughter at her plight.

Completely oblivious to what was going on between them, Nadia continued her explanation "Ophelia I want you to use your magic and tell me if he's just a lying charlatan, making an attempt at taking my title, or if he is in fact Lucio. As impossible as that sounds." There was a hint of hope in her voice as she uttered the last sentence, making it clear that she fiercely hoped Ophelia would give her the smallest reason to reject his claim.

Lifting her eyes to Nadia's face, Ophelia cleared her throat "I've never had to use my magic for such a purpose before," she said hesitantly "but I have felt Lucio's essence around the palace and around his chambers, so I will do my best."

Nodding in agreement, Nadia turned to Lucio "Is this agreeable to you, 'Lucio'?" she said, making it clear that she didn't care if it was, and she had no confidence in his legitimacy.

Lucio bowed dramatically "If that is what it takes to convince you, my Countess, then the lady magician may do whatever she likes to me."

Nadia rolled her eyes at him "Very well. Ophelia, you may proceed at your discretion."

Ophelia turned to Lucio, looking him over while still refusing to make eye contact. She could feel his gaze on her, just like that first time in his chambers when she'd gone tumbling down the rabbit hole, it felt like he was slowly stripping away every article of her clothing and daring her to do something to stop him.

She finally reached up, hesitantly placing her hand where the collar of Lucio's shirt parted at his neck.

He remained staring down at her, enjoying her discomfort "Do as you please, my lady" he said, smirking at Nadia over Ophelia's head "I'm an open book and will undergo any trial you see fit to put me through."

Ignoring his remarks, Ophelia closed her eyes and let her magic flow from her fingertips and over his skin. She felt foolish. She knew damn well that this was Lucio himself standing in front of her. Knew just as well how he came to be there, too. So why was she playing along instead of telling Nadia exactly what happened? Fear, she told herself. Fear that every stable part of her life would come crashing down around her, and she'd be left to pick up the pieces.

Banishing such thoughts, Ophelia raised her head and removed her hand from Lucio's chest and turned back to the Countess "I'm afraid he is exactly who he claims to be." she said "There is no doubt that this man is in fact Count Lucio, brought back from the dead, somehow."

Nadia's jaw visibly tightened; turning to the closest courtiers, she called out to them "please get the count's rooms ready for him." and then turning back to Lucio, she smiled forcefully through tightlydrawn lips "I will have your titles returned to you as quickly as possible, Lucio. I am sorry for doubting your word. You will have everything you need as soon as it can be done."

"Oh don't rush on my account," he said in a haughtily cheerful voice. I know it will all get done, so there is no need to rush anything. Besides, I'd like to get a feel for the palace again, and it's occupants - here with a pointed look at Ophelia - while you attend to the upcoming festivities."

"Very well." Nadia's voice had become cold and austere "Your chambers will be ready for you by nightfall." and with that, she went a little distance away, to speak with one of the servants who had been quietly observing the event.

As soon as Nadia's attention was elsewhere, Lucio advanced on Ophelia, look her over like a snake would a mouse. Taking on a friendly tone, he struck up a conversation "Tell me, magician," he said "about your training. Was it formal or are you self taught?"

Unsure of his purpose in trying to speak to her, but not wanting to appear out of sorts, she was just opening her mouth to answer him, when she felt an arm curl itself around her shoulders. Nadia was standing there staring coldly at Lucio "I'll thank you to leave my people alone, Lucio. I won't have you harassing them. Especially not someone as important to me as Ophelia." with that she turned, guiding Ophelia out the door without glancing back for Lucio's reaction.

For the rest of the day, Nadia made sure that Ophelia was never out of her sight, and when it came time to retire, sent Portia with her to escort her to her room, even though they all knew that Ophelia never got lost within the palace anymore.

Ophelia prepared for bed with much trepidation that night. Would Lucio continue haunting her like he had only days before? Would he leave her alone now that he had achieved his goal? She couldn't say. All she knew when she got to her room, was that she was exhausted from the events of the day, and wanted nothing more than to sleep, uninterrupted, for the next five years.

Her slumber was entirely dreamless; it seemed that Lucio was either unable to reach her on the same level as he had before, or something else was taking his attention. She had a hard time believing he was leaving her alone by choice.

It was around two o'clock in the morning, the night still pitch black, when Ophelia awakened; the reason for the interruption unknown, except that she was aware of feeling overwhelmingly hungry.

Making her way through the halls as quietly as she could, the dim light from her spell casting soft shadows on the walls and lighting her way. It made her uncomfortable that the path to the palace kitchens unavoidable took her past the grand ballroom, especially after the events of the day. Arriving in the kitchens, she rummaged around until she found a handful of dates and some cheese which she helped herself too. Feeling satisfied and once again ready to sleep, she began to make her way back to her chambers, walking slowly and enjoying the night breeze that wafted in through several open windows along her way.

As she reached the part of the way that led past the ballroom, something halted Ophelia in her tracks; as she stood there trying to discern why she had felt goosebumps run down her back, she heard the faint sound of voices coming from somewhere ahead of her. Curiosity taking over, she ventured forward to find the source of the voices; following the sounds, she turned down a smaller hallway, and found herself in front of one of the side rooms of the larger ballroom that were most often used for guests to sit and socialize while they rested their feet between dances.

Light shone out from under the door of one such room, drawing Ophelia to it to press her ear against it in hopes of getting the gist of what was going on. Finding that the voices were still too muffled, she leaned on the door gently, only to discover that it wasn't even latched, and slowly swung open, not making the slightest of sounds. Ophelia thanked her stars for the constant maintenance that Nadia had implemented in the palace, ensuring that the hinges on all doors were well oiled and silent.

Peeking into the room, Ophelia only saw a short sofa, and a small table occupying the room, and no lights lit, indicating that the sounds and light were coming from somewhere farther in. She crept through the door and saw that the light was coming from a second doorway, and, making her way up to it, slyly looked around the corner.

The sight that confronted her, made her heartbeat quicken: there, in the center of the room, stood Count Lucio, dressed in a billowy nightshirt and short breeches, having a heated discussion with none other than Ophelia's recently made enemy, Pontifex Vulgora. The two seemed to be arguing, and Ophelia was finally close enough to hear what they were saying.

"You purposely went against my plan and disobeyed my orders!" Lucio fumed "You did everything you could to keep her away from me, when your role was to guide her to me at all costs. You knew she was the key to my resurrection, and instead of doing what I explicitly instructed you to, you decided you would rather garner my favor by finding your own way of bringing me back so I would be beholden to you for my return."

Vulgora sneered at his words "I was _this_ close to a way of bringing you back that didn't require the cooperation of that unworthy little gutter rat!" They hissed "You would have never needed her, and you wouldn't now be fighting with the weakness you acquired when you joined with her, and you wouldn't hesitate to do what you know needs to be done."

"I still need her, and she's given me no such weakness," Lucio snarled, bringing his face in close to the courtier's "The only weakness I have demonstrated thus far is an inability to choose competent help." with those words, he gripped his ornate cane as if he wanted to smash it into Vulgora's enraged visage.

"Of course you 'need her'," they spat out mockingly "you 'need' her pretty little cunt to keep your cock wet, that's all it is. You've become blind to your purpose and unwilling to act as you know you have to."

"You seem to know my needs so well, Vulgora" he seethed through his clenched teeth "pray tell, how would you in all your wisdom recommend I proceed?"

Vulgora smirked "Kill her." they said simply "Take back your titles and kill that little wench, therefore removing all obstacles to your greatness."

Lucio glared at the courtier, clenching his jaw and contemplating their words "And what if I do kill her and this solution is only temporary? Why would I destroy the only thing keeping me in this form?"

His question was met with a scoff "Tsk, then we go with my plan and find a different way to bring you back again. A permanent one this time."

Turning away, Lucio seemed to consider what they had said. Meanwhile, Ophelia was still watching from her vantage point, her terror growing stronger by the second. What had she done? If she had known even a fraction of the cost of allowing Lucio's ghost to fuck her, she'd have never even considered the option.

By this time, Lucio had turned back to Vulgora "You know, you are right about one thing," he said as he approached them once again, a strange smile on his face "she does have a pretty cunt."

The subsequent events happened in the blink of an eye: Lucio gripped his cane in both hands and pulled it apart, revealing a long, thin sword, and in one fluid motion, swung it at the courtier's neck.

Ophelia almost shrieked aloud, but only just managed to clap a hand over her mouth.

There was a loud _clang_ and she saw that Vulgora had caught the sword in a clenched fist, their armored gauntlet preventing the weapon from doing any real harm.

"I see that you've made your decision," the courtier said, their voice flat with an underlying hint of venom "you will regret this, Lucio."

The ensuing battle was fierce; each of the combatants giving no quarter as they threw every effort into destroying the other. Lucio was clearly the larger of the two, and used his height and weight to his advantage, raining a barrage of slashes down on Vulgora, the intent on his face was set as if in stone. But the courtier gave him a hard fight, seeming to be just as determined to defeat him. They used their armored claws as weapons, blocking Lucio's attacks and launching their own.

Ophelia watched in horrified fascination as they battled furiously back and forth across the room. It had begun to feel as though the fight would go on forever, neither combatant showing signs of tiring or submitting. Try as she might, Ophelia couldn't predict who would come out the victor. It turned out she didn't have to; Lucio seemed to perceive a pattern in Vulgora's movements, allowing him to begin to anticipate where and how they would strike next. He seized his opportunity when Volgora lunged at him with an over handed slash, grabbing their wrist and plunging his blade into their chest.

Unable to respond to any of her impulses to flee, Ophelia remained in place, rooted to the ground as she watched the count stalk around his defeated foe. He kicked the body onto it's back, inspecting it to make sure that he had struck true. Seemingly satisfied, he walked to a side door and called to someone behind it; a guard soon appeared, and Lucio ordered him to take the body away.

"Get rid of this filth and make sure no trace is left. I don't want to deal with any kind of fallout for this. The fool had it coming and will be missed by no one."

The guard nodded and disappeared, leaving Lucio to begin pacing the room, deep in thought.

As she watched, the spell that seemed to bind Ophelia to her spot was suddenly broken and she took the opportunity to flee back to her chambers, not glancing over her shoulder until she was safe with her back pressed against her bedroom door.

Each day that passed by was more trying for Ophelia; she was conflicted about what she had witnessed, but had no one to talk about it with. One thing that especially rankled was how she had felt when she watched Lucio Kill Vulgora. She had always hated the courtier, and never once thought about wanting them dead; but the way Lucio had defended his interest in her to them, and the savage way he had taken their life struck deep chords within her. She had never had someone defend her with that kind of passion. Regardless of Lucio's motivations, she couldn't help but feel slightly smug about how important he seemed to think she was.

Ophelia had still not heard a single word from Lucio herself. The way he had spoken of her to Vulgora had made her feel as though he she was vital to his survival and he had set his mind on keeping her close, but her sleep went undisturbed, and she received no summons from him, making her wrack her brain trying to figure what was going on. As much as much she hated the idea of it, she began to believe that her only solution was to go to Lucio and ask him herself. The first time the idea had sprang into her head, she had rejected it outright; she had done enough damage by helping him return to the world of the living, and all she would be doing was making it worse by going to him, she convinced herself. But the question still lingered and nagged at her until she couldn't take it anymore. She made her decision one night after tossing and turning in her bed for hours after the palace had retired.

Using her magic to summon her dim ball of light, Ophelia stole out of bed and crept through the palace hallways, not bothering to even don a dressing gown over the short nightgown she wore.

Upon arriving at the Count's chambers, she felt a knot of panic well up in her throat; it was almost enough to make her turn tail and run, but she calmed herself and placed her hand on the door handle, almost surprised when it turned easily and swung open, revealing an antechamber that led to the rest of the rooms.

Seeing that there was a soft light coming from deeper in the chambers, Ophelia tiptoed closer, trying to discern if Lucio was asleep yet.

As she moved forward, the silence was broken by two voices, one she instantly recognized as belonging to Lucio, while the other she was sure she had never heard before. Sliding along the wall, she got close enough to hear what was being said.

"All that aside, what really brought you here in the middle of the night, Valerius? Did you miss my charm and vast wit? I can be terribly hard to forget, or so I'm told." Lucio's voice was playful and flirtatious, a sound Ophelia had never heard before.

The other voice sighed before it spoke "Yes, I suppose that's right." it said begrudgingly "you and i have a history of...well it was mutually beneficial, so I thought it would be advantageous to rekindle it. Perhaps we can help each other."

Lucio answered with a laugh and some unintelligible remark, but Ophelia wasn't listening closely enough to catch it. Rather, she was furiously biting her lip, and wondering what Valerius could possibly mean to Lucio. She didn't like the familiarity in the way they were speaking to each other " _Why would Lucio want anything to do with that drunk idiot?"_ she sneered to herself " _It's not like Valerius has any valuable qualities, all he does is stand around with a glass of wine, being an ass."_

She didn't know what she was feeling the way she was, but she decided to take a peek around the corner to get an idea of their level of intimacy. As she peered into the room, she saw Lucio, leaning back on the bed, a lecherous smile on his face that made Ophelia want to strangle him. She next noticed the man of medium height and the two toned braid holding an almost-empty glass of wine in his hand, his back turned to Ophelia.

"Get me something from that wine cabinet behind you, and we can continue to discuss our terms" Valerius told Lucio.

The Count rolled his eyes in annoyance "Always have to be inebriated don't you? Well I don't really need you to be sober, so why not?" he got up from the bed and crossed the room look in the cabinet.

As Lucio rummaged through his wine collection, Valerius moved to come up behind him, and as he did so, Ophelia caught sight of a gleam of metal near his right hand. As she watched, she saw that it was the hilt of a dagger, concealed in the courtier's sleeve.

Ophelia's mind began to race " _He's going to kill Lucio"_ it screamed. Looking wildly around the room, she spied an array of sharp-looking letter openers on a desk near the doorway she was concealed in. " _I can stop him"_ she thought to herself " _but he's so tall, I don't know that I can reach."_ she then saw that Valerius was approaching a small armchair that was sitting to the side near where Lucio was searching for a beverage with which to ply his guest.

The following events were a blur to Ophelia; she waited until Valerius was close behind Lucio, and had started reaching for the dagger in his sleeve, the chair just within range. In a flash she was up and out of her hiding place, seeming to close the distance with a single leap, snatched up a letter opener, and vaulting into the chair behind Valerius, snared her fingers in his hair and yanked his head to the side before plunging the letter opener into his neck, right where she had been taught to find a pulse.

Lucio whirled around at the sound of the breaking wine glass and strangled cry Valerius let out as the weapon pierced his artery, staring dumbfounded as the courtier clutched his throat, the blood pouring out around his hands, and sank to the ground, his last breaths coming out in a gurgle as his own weapon fell from his grasp and slid across the floor, coming to rest in front of Lucio's boot.

Lucio's gaze sprang to Ophelia where she stood atop the chair, blood drenching the sleeve and hand that still clutched her weapon, her chest heaving and eyes wild. They stood there facing each other, not a sound to be heard aside from their mutual labored breathing as they stared into the other's eyes. Lucio was the first to move; closing the space between them in what felt like a single stride, his hand shot out to grasp the wrist that still gripped the letter opener, and dragged her off the chair, pressing her flush against his own body and pinning her against the side of the chair. He stared down at her, searching her eyes with a piercing stare.

"Why would you do that?" he hissed, gripping her so hard that she let the object fall from her hand, landing with a clatter on the floor.

Ophelia blinked confusedly; she couldn't really say why she'd just saved Lucio's life, she only remembered the glimmer of light reflected off of Valerius' dagger and then an overwhelming sense of panic and the need to prevent Lucio's death at all costs.

"I-I don't know," she stammered "I can't even remember why I thought to do it."

The intensity of Lucio's scrutiny multiplied as he gazed into Ophelia's eyes, searching for whether or not she was being truthful in her declaration. He reached out with his golden hand and slipped it around her throat, letting the tip of his armored thumb rest over her lips. Glancing past her at the body that lay in an ever growing pool of blood, he began working his jaw as if he was mulling something over. His gaze snapped back to Ophelia and, without warning, he crushed his mouth against hers, making her yelp in surprise at the sudden contact. He continued his ferocious affections until Ophelia managed to gather her wits about her and wrench herself free, holding him at arm's length, her fingers leaving little bloody prints on his pristine white jacket, a detail that was not lost on the Count, as the increased fervor with which he looked at her indicated.

"What are you doing? What did _I_ just do? What are we going to do about _him?"_ the words came out tumbling over each other as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"Forget him." Lucio told her, his eyes never leaving her face "I was right about you, you're perfect, you're all I need."

The look in his eyes scared her "What do you mean by that?" Ophelia asked him warily.

Lucio took her by the waist, disregarding the blood that now stained both their hands "You brought me back with your magic and didn't tell Nadia when you realized what you had done. You told no one when I killed Vulgora - yes I knew you were there watching that night." he held up a hand to suppress her protest "Now, you've murdered a man in order to protect me; a courtier no less. You're exactly what I need, and I think you know it and don't object nearly as much as you think you should."

Ophelia felt the desperate need flowing off of him as he spoke, making her head swim a little and, combined with the shock from the act she had just committed, made her feel like she was losing her grip on reality. Then she remembered how he had cut Vulgora down for insulting his interest in her, and a sense of heat flooded over her. Feeling a sudden touch of the devil, she looked up at Lucio, biting her lip "Is my cunt really that pretty?" she asked in as innocent a voice as she could muster.

Lucio's crimson eyes blazed and a leer broke over his face, and he lowered his mouth to her ear "Your pussy is one of the prettiest that I have ever beheld," he whispered "though it's infinitely more lovely with my cock inside it."


	2. Chapter 2

Ophelia shivered as Lucio swept her up and threw her down on the bed; he was on top of her immediately, using the sharp, claw-like fingers of his golden hand to rip away her clothing with not a care for its finery. Once she was completely bare under his gaze, he took both of her hands in his own and pinned them over her head, his metal hand sliding up her body to wrap around her neck again, though this time, he slipped the thumb into her mouth, pressing down on her tongue with it's sharp tip.

"You belong to me now." he told her, increasing the pressure on her tongue lightly "I've laid claim to your body, you are all mine to do with as I please, do you understand?"

Ophelia had many feelings about this, but they were all drowned out by the clamoring in her brain, " _Just fuck me!"_ it screamed. She only nodded silently, gazing up at him to see what he would do next.

He seemed to read her mind, and with a smirk, withdrew his hand from her mouth. Just as Ophelia was thinking that she was about to get what she wanted, the metal hand came down on her chest, pushing her into the bedding and making her gasp at the sudden pressure, the tips of his armored fingers digging into her skin. In complete contrast to the violent movement, he gently picked up the hand that had felled Valerius only moments before, with his own human hand, and brought it to his mouth, holding her gaze as he licked the quickly drying blood from her fingers.

Ophelia's own blood quickened as she watched him savoring the taste of the blood of the potential rival she had just killed. She felt like she was already starting to fall apart, she was so aroused, and instinctively tried to anchor herself by grasping the wrist of the hand that held her down as he continued to keep her immobilized.

Lucio let her hand fall from his grasp, though he kept his metallic hand planted firmly on her chest, keeping her from budging. With his free hand, he began trailing his fingertips over her belly, making the hair raise across her skin as he went. When he reached her lower abdomen, he paused, watching her every breath with his intense stare.

Ophelia did her best to match his gaze, but her need was becoming greater and more urgent, and the way he was looking at her was doing nothing to diminish it. Her hips shuddered under his touch and it was all she could do to keep from pushing them up against his hand. As much as she wanted to him to fuck her within an inch of her life, her pride rose up at the idea of letting him know how badly she wanted him, so she forced the feelings down as deeply inside of her as she could and clenched her teeth, determined to resist such urges.

Lucio seemed to sense Ophelia's internal struggle and smiled "There's the conflict," he purred "you think you can keep from turning into a quivering mess under my touch. Good. That will make this so much more interesting." He continued his downward path, switching to two fingers as he reached the joining of her thighs, and swept them through her arousal, which was already glistening on her skin.

She let out a quick breath at the sensation, feeling a slight hint of despair that Lucio was already able to provoke such strong feelings in her.

Ophelia's reaction did not escape Lucio, and he gave her the ghost of a smirk before sliding his still-gloved fingers over her clit and deep into her pussy, causing a whimper to escape her lips.

She was now clinging to his wrist with both hands and pressing her legs tightly around his other hand, the stress showing in the beads of sweat gathering on her forehead and the way she chewed on her lower lip.

Lucio watched her with a fascination that held her own attention until she realized that he was staring at her lips, and she found that she had been biting them so hard that they had started to bleed.

Lucio leaned in suddenly and kissed her, sucking the blood from her lips as he began slowly stroking his fingers in and out of her, drawing little gasps from her as he curled them upward, applying just the right amount of pressure to make her writhe under his touch.

"Now, pet," he told her when he had licked up every trace of her blood "tell me exactly what you felt when you bled Valerius dry, and spare no detail."

Ophelia gaped at him, hardly believing him to be serious. "Wha-" she began, but with a particularly well-placed stroke of his fingers, she temporarily lost her ability to form words and could only squeeze her eyes shut and grip his glittering prosthetic with all her might.

"Tsk, tsk," Lusio clicked his tongue disapprovingly and ceased his motions entirely "that won't do at all."

Ophelia's eyes popped open and she stared at him wildly, desperate for him to continue touching her. "I-I don't know what I felt. It all happened so fast."

Lucio cocked his head to the side as he looked down at her "Perhaps if I stopped distracting you, you would be able to recall…" he said as he began withdrawing his hand from between her legs.

"Noooo" she whined desperately "Please don't stop."

"Then tell me what I want to hear." he whispered through clenched teeth, his eyes boring into her.

Ophelia took a deep breath, clearing her thoughts and doing her best to form a coherent narrative "I remember seeing the light reflecting off the dagger in his sleeve and all I could think about was stopping him." she paused for a moment, searching for the right words, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Tell me everything." He was insistent in knowing every detail of what had gone through her heard during those moments.

"I saw you together and just felt so...I don't know what I felt." she cast her eyes down, unsure of herself and whether she wanted to proceed or not "But I do know that I felt this overwhelming sense of satisfaction when I felt that letter opener pierce his throat." she looked up at him with a defiant light in her eyes as she uttered the last words, daring him to disapprove of her motivations.

Ophelia had forgotten that this was Lucio she was dealing with.

His eyes had grown darker as she described her feelings, and his lips had drawn back from his teeth in an expression not unlike an animal baring its teeth in a threatening posture, though in his case, it seemed to convey a fierce kind of joy. "You were jealous, weren't you, little magician?"

He was clearly exulting in the idea and it made Ophelia grit her teeth together. Jealous of that drunk idiot? She'd rather die than admit to something like that!

Lucio saw the way she clenched her jaw and stuck out her lower lip in a stubborn pout, refusing to meet his gaze and the air rang with his responding laughter "How delightful! You've been avoiding me like the plague ever since your lovely little cunt brought me back, and now you kill the very person who was next to share my bed. You're so deliciously ruthless." he gazed down at her, his red eyes glowing "However, as enthralled as I am by your savagery, I won't have your insolence." his metal claws slipped around her neck, all thought of pleasing her set aside "I want you to say it."

Ophelia blinked, unsure of his meaning. "S-say what?" she asked hesitantly.

Lucio gave her throat a light squeeze, testing his grip "I want you to admit you killed Valerius in a jealous rage. You slit his throat because you didn't want me to fuck him."

She gulped at the pressure on her throat but stood firm, pressing her lips together and refusing to give him what he wanted. " _He's gotten his way enough already,"_ she told herself " _it'll take a lot more than a little intimidation for me to admit something like that!"_

Lucio kept his golden hand firmly attached to her neck as he withdrew his other from between her legs entirely and inspected his gloved fingers, rubbing the tips together and watching her arousal drip off of them "And you've soiled my glove as well as refusing to tell me what I want to hear. Such a naughty little magician, what shall I do with you?"

Ophelia was pressing her legs together as hard as she could, doing her best to quell the heat that had been building to an unbearable height. She had whimpered slightly when he pulled away, and now at his mention of punishment, she wanted to wail despairingly, but just managed to press her lips together and turn her face away from him, a silent sign of her resistance.

The Count was not a patient man. With a movement of his wrist, he turned her face back toward him; the gesture was gentle, but the way he did it conveyed an underlying warning that such gentleness was an active choice, and he could just as easily be less so if he desired.

"Now, now, let's have none of that." he brought his gloved hand to his mouth and tugged it off with his teeth, one finger at a time "We both know what you want, Ophelia" he told her in deliberately level tones as he tossed the glove away, before planting his knee on the bed next to her and leaning in closer, the way he said her name sending shivers down her spine "You've chosen to be difficult, but we both know that I always get what I want." he began to apply more pressure to her throat, focusing on her pulse point and making her head swim a little.

Ophelia heard the shifting of clothing, and, out of the corner of her eye, saw Lucio free his cock from his breeches and begin stroking it lightly as he continued to apply pressure to her throat. She could feel her mouth going dry as she watched him, desperately wanting to feel that cock sliding into her, but though he seemed to know exactly what she wanted, he clearly didn't care to give it to her as long as she refused to obey him.

Lucio continued to pump his hand lazily along his length, staring into Ophelia's eyes as he did so, taunting her in her resistance. "Such a sweet little pussy, just begging to be fucked." he crooned, gripping himself more firmly and with purpose.

Her resolve was beginning to ebb away as she imagined the feeling of his cock surging in and out of her, with all the accompanying sounds and smells of their coupling.

Lucio continued to pump his hand up and down his cock, leaning in to whisper in Ophelia's ear "I know you want me to fuck you. You're practically trembling in your need. But stubbornness never got a little magician what she wanted, so I'll have to refrain from giving you what you want until you give me what I want."

Ophelia could hear her blood rushing in her head as he tightened his grip on her neck. His cock was right above her in full view, its tip flushed red with the pressure of his arousal as he continued his slow, rhythmic motions, his hips beginning to buck slightly as he climbed toward release. All thoughts had fled from Ophelia's mind aside from the one burning desire to have that cock pumping into her. She tried to fight off the feeling of her resolve crumbling in her mind, but she was failing. All else besides being fucked by Lucio was quickly slipping away.

He must have sensed it, and his lips drew away from his teeth in a selfish smile as he stared down at her, the veins standing out on her forehead from both his hand on her neck, and her internal battle.

Simultaneously, her resolve shattered and Lucio reached his climax.

Ophelia's voice rang out in a desperate wail "I was jealous! I admit it! I didn't want you fucking anyone but me and I'd kill anyone else who tries to take my place on your cock!"

Lucio shuddered violently at her declaration and gave a last thrust of his hips, squeezing his cock in his fist and spilling his seed all over Ophelia's stomach, his accompanying growl making her shiver just as much as the feeling of the hot liquid hitting her skin. Lucio tightened his grip on her neck at the same time he gripped his cock tightly, and had almost wrung the consciousness from her body. She saw stars as he came all over her, but it wasn't the chokehold that made her start to sob uncontrollably. She pressed her legs together as hard as she could, desperate for even the smallest amount of friction as her hot tears of frustration poured down her cheeks.

Lucio stared at her as she tried to hide her frustrated rage, and then began laughing.

Ophelia's eyes flew open at the sound, ready to kill him too, her outrage at having been so tortured and abused at the point where it was almost driving her mad.

But Lucio continued to chuckle as he removed his knee from beside her on the bed and released her neck from his grasp.

She lay there for several moments trying to compose herself when she glanced up and saw him unfastening the buttons that held his immaculate white jacket together. He let the jacket fall to the floor in the forgotten puddle of Valerius' blood, before shoving his pants down his hips and turning back to Ophelia.

Her eyes grew wide as he faced her again; she had expected him to be flaccid and hanging between his legs, but there it was, erect and harder than before, if that was even possible.

He caught her staring and grinned his animalistic smile again "Surprised, magician? Did you think I was like any other mortal man who would be useless after spending himself once? I've discovered that returning from the grave does have its side benefits."

As he spoke, he grabbed Ophelia by her ankles and yanked her to the edge of the bed. Rolling her onto her side, he took one of her legs in his grasp and bent it upwards, forcing her into a half split, and spreading her before him, his lips curling back in anticipation. He took hold of his cock in one hand and dragged the head of it through her dripping wet sex, a low rumble in his throat expressing his approval. "I'm not a man to go back on his word, pet." he told her, pressing his cock into her but barely enough for her to get any kind of relief. "You gave me what I wanted, albeit reluctantly, and so I'll grant your own wish. Never let it be said that Count Lucio isn't a merciful, generous ruler."

Ophelia struggled to hold herself up on one elbow, her body shuddering with anticipation, but she was getting impatient. "Fulfill your word, and fuck me then." she half demanded, half begged.

Lucio gave her a smirk and winked at her "Be careful what you wish for, magician." and plunged himself into her in one fluid motion.

She was so wet, her own juices gushed out of her at the displacement. Even though Ophelia had taken his cock in his monstrous goat form, she still let out a cry when Lucio thrust himself inside of her, surprised at how much he still stretched her even in his human form. Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the bedding beneath her with all her might, desperate for any support as Lucio continued to fill her up with his thrusts. Her breath came in short gasps, the only sound she could muster as all the nerves within her that had been begging for stimulation were now being overwhelmed with it.

Lucio, unsatisfied with her lack of verbal enthusiasm, reached down and began to rub the pads of his fingers over her clit "I wonder if my little pet has a singing voice?" he asked as he moved his fingers rhythmically "I want to hear you sing, Ophelia."

She managed a ragged moan as he touched her, her lungs feeling as if they would never be able to breathe in enough air.

"That's better." he said approvingly "But I want to hear _really_ sing." he leaned over her, slipping his hand up the back of her neck, his claws scraping her scalp, until it was cradling the back of her head, his fingers nestled deeply in her thick hair, and then, making a fist, he pulled her head back and pressed his mouth to her neck, sucking and biting on her skin until it became raw and raised, all the while maintaining the rhythm of his fingers and his cock, playing her body like an instrument.

Ophelia knew she couldn't last much longer, her breath was coming in ragged gasps, and she was having trouble holding her head up. She could feel her inner muscles begin to clench around him, her waves of pleasure multiplying with his every thrust, making her let out little sobs of desperation as they washed over her. Glancing down, she glimpsed Valerius's body laying face down in the pool of blood that had spread to a large portion of the room. A feel of victory flooded through her body as she stared down at her handiwork "Fuck me...harder...please!" she managed to gasp out.

Luciolet out a growl and his fingers tightened in her hair, pulling it harder making her cry out as he thrust himself deeper into her "Now let it all out, pet." he told her, his breath got on her ear and neck. As he spoke, he pressed hard on her clit and sunk his teeth into her shoulder, the powerful orgasm catapulting her over the edge with a scream. He quickly pulled his fingers from her pussy and clamped his hand over her mouth, though it seemed her sounds had been just what he needed, and he pressed into her as deep as he could as he came, his cock draining itself inside of her.

Ophelia's sense of relief soon gave way to alarm as she realized Lucio was still inside of her, his cock still hard as when he started.

He seemed to sense her worry and chuckled a bit as he pulled out of her, making her whimper at the sudden loss "Don't worry, Ophelia, I'm almost done " his tone was almost savage as he flipped her from her side onto her stomach, planting his hands firmly on her shoulders and using his hips to leverage hers to an angle where he could plunge his cock inside of her again.

Ophelia felt like she was going to suffocate from the way her face was pressed so roughly into the bed, Lucio's cock feeling like it was reaching all the way up into her organs with every thrust. She could feel the hot liquid running down her thighs as the ferocity of his movements displaced the cum he had already poured deep inside of her.

Though it seemed like quite the contrary to Ophelia, Lucio didn't last much longer, and came with a roar, pulling himself free from her heat and letting his cock fall into the valley between the cheeks of Ophelia's ass, where it pulsed as it spilled out onto her back. His orgasm triggered another weak one from Ophelia and she lay there, spent and exhausted, covered in his essence.

Lucio was panting himself as he smoothed a hand over her ass, admiring the sight, his cock finally sated and hanging between his legs.

Without a word, he seized Ophelia under her arms and hauled her up, sweeping her into a cradled position and turning toward the door, not bothering to close his shirt or even tuck his cock away "We'll sleep in your quarters, small as they are. It's almost daylight." He walked to the door, Ophelia hanging limply from his grasp, through the congealing pool of blood, his boots leaving crimson footprints across the floor.

"What about…" Ophelia weakly gestured toward the body.

"My men will take care of him." Lucio told her "Just rest. You've had quite the eventful evening."

If she hadn't been so completely exhausted, Ophelia would have been shocked at the gentleness of his tone. As it was she merely nodded and let her head fall against Lucio's chest, not caring for whatever the next day might bring.


End file.
